There is certainly no shortage of sports drinks today. Starting with Gatorade several years ago,the market has since exploded with various concoctions of sweet tasting drinks to help you exercise longer and harder and recover quicker. In this article you'll learn the basics of sports drinks, what they are designed for, and whether or not their really necessary.
To begin with, all sports drinks are designed to serve a couple different purpose. The original, Gatorade, was designed for the Florida Gators football team as a recovery drink. First to replace lost water due to perspiration, and second to replace lost electrolytes. Electrolytes are chemical that are needed by your body for many functions. You lose them while you sweat, and you can imagine how much you'd sweat playing football …show more content…
First, let's take a look at the electrolytes. It's true that if you sweat at all, you are losing electrolytes. But unless you are ending up with your shirt completely drenched, you aren't likely losing any electrolytes that can't be replaced by your normal diet.
How replacing lost water? Obviously, you can replace the water you lose by simply drinking more water. If you drink sports drinks to replace water, you will actually need more water, because the sugars need to be broken down in your stomach, which requires water. The only argument in favor of sports drinks is that if you simply can't stand the taste of water, and won't drink enough.
How about the energy boost that you get from sports drinks? If you are doing some extended workouts, or some kind of endurance training, then you definitely need to keep your energy levels high, and sports drinks can be one way of doing this. But if you are like most people, and work out for an hour or so every couple days, then you are likely getting plenty of calories from your regular diet, and all that extra sugar really isn't
To begin with, all sports drinks are designed to serve a couple different purpose. The original, Gatorade, was designed for the Florida Gators football team as a recovery drink. First to replace lost water due to perspiration, and second to replace lost electrolytes. Electrolytes are chemical that are needed by your body for many functions. You lose them while you sweat, and you can imagine how much you'd sweat playing football …show more content…
First, let's take a look at the electrolytes. It's true that if you sweat at all, you are losing electrolytes. But unless you are ending up with your shirt completely drenched, you aren't likely losing any electrolytes that can't be replaced by your normal diet.
How replacing lost water? Obviously, you can replace the water you lose by simply drinking more water. If you drink sports drinks to replace water, you will actually need more water, because the sugars need to be broken down in your stomach, which requires water. The only argument in favor of sports drinks is that if you simply can't stand the taste of water, and won't drink enough.
How about the energy boost that you get from sports drinks? If you are doing some extended workouts, or some kind of endurance training, then you definitely need to keep your energy levels high, and sports drinks can be one way of doing this. But if you are like most people, and work out for an hour or so every couple days, then you are likely getting plenty of calories from your regular diet, and all that extra sugar really isn't